George Clarence, duke of

Clarence, George, duke of, 1449–78, son of Richard, duke of York, and brother of Edward IV. In defiance of Edward, Clarence married Isabel Neville and joined her father, Richard Neville, earl of Warwick, in rebellion against the king in 1469–70. He deserted that party in 1471, however, and was reconciled with Edward. In 1478, exasperated by Clarence's continued factiousness, Edward had him attainted for treason by Parliament. He was sent to the Tower of London, where he was secretly executed. It was rumored that he was drowned in a butt of malmsey wine.